276 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON the [Feb. 20, 



oblique lines of indistinct yellow-brown and pale yellow spots drop 

 downwards to the underside. The superior pair of spinners are 

 two-jointed, double the lengtb of those of the inferior pair, and less 

 than half the length of the abdomen ; they are yellow, with a brown 

 patch near the base, on the upperside of the terminal joint, which 

 tapers to a point and is furnished with spinning-tubes throughout 

 the length of its inner surface. The relative length of the legs is 

 4, 2, 1, 3, those of the third pair being more than half the length 

 of those of the fourth. The terminal tarsal claws are three in num- 

 ber, and spring from a kind of supernumerary or heel joint. 



The palpi are moderately long and strong ; the radial and cubital 

 joints are of equal length ; but the former is rather the strongest, and 

 has no projections or apophyses ; the digital joint is large, and has 

 its extremity produced into a longish, tapering point, very like that 

 of some species of Teyenaria, and is furnished with two single, slightly 

 curved claws : the palpal organs are well developed, but not complex ; 

 they consist of a large, flattish, corneous lobe, round the margins of 

 which runs a slender, filiform, black spine (apparently in a double 

 coil) ; and from near the centre a somewhat crescent-shaped corneous 

 process projects perpendicularly ; one limb of this process is longer 

 than the other, but much more slender, and tapers into a sharp, bent 

 point. 



Males and females, adult and immature, were found not unfrequently 

 under stones on the plains of the Jordan, as well as, more rarely, near 

 Jerusalem. 



The only structural distinction between this species and Hersilia 

 caudata (Sav.) and //. indica (Luc.) appears to be that in which it 

 resembles H. oraniensis (Luc.) — that is, the absence of an extra joint 

 in the legs (or, more properly, a subdivision of the tarsus). On 

 this ground, and the greater proportional length of the legs of the 

 third pair, both M. Simon and Dr. Thorell have almost simulta- 

 neously separated H. oraniensis, and formed for it a new genus, 

 Hersiliada (Simon), Hersiliola (Thorell). As far as I can make 

 out, the name conferred by M. Simon has the priority; but of 

 this I am by no means certain. With regard to the generic value of 

 the subdivision of the tarsus, I confess I am doubtful — that is where 

 other strong and recognized generic characters are common both to 

 those possessing and those not possessing such a peculiarity ; it 

 would seem, in this instance, only to mark a group within the genus. 

 As, however, the character is tangible and evident, I have, in deference 

 to the opinion of those able authors, adopted their views here with 

 respect to its generic value in the present instance. It is with the 

 name of one of them, M. Eugene Simon, that I have great pleasure 

 in connecting this distinct and pretty species of a curious genus. 



Fam. Scytodides. 



Genus Scytodes (Latr.). 



Scytodes thoracica, Walck. Ins. Apt. i. p. 2/1. 

 An adult female of this Spider was found at Tiberias. 



